Australia in the crosshairs

The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation has warned that sophisticated hackers backed by foreign governments are targeting Australian infrastructure such as telecommunications and airports.

Spying from home

The normalisation of remote work in the wake of the pandemic has allowed swathes of hostile foreign operatives to penetrate Australia’s businesses and public agencies under the cover of legitimate employment.

Spies like us

ASIO boss Mike Burgess estimates that commercial and state espionage cost Australia $12.5 billion in 2023-24, with hackers stealing a slew of defence and commercial intellectual property.

The enemy within

The Soviet Union relied on ideologically motivated spies in the West to leak defence and technology secrets and the recent arrests of two Russian spies in Australia suggests this problem is now re-emerging.

Eyes wide open

An unprecedented public announcement by senior officials in the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance has identified China as the most sophisticated and sustained thief of intellectual property in the world.

Don’t go easy on espionage

Australian businessmen and academics may urge decision makers to turn a blind eye to Chinese espionage and interference to protect their own interests, but Australia must robustly defend itself and democracy.

New rules in the spy game

Cyberspace is changing spycraft, and national security agencies are being urged to adopt machine learning and open-source data to bolster their analytical capabilities.

Chinese whispers

A new book by Roger Faligot on the history and extent of Chinese espionage is essential reading for both intelligence professionals and generalists wanting to understand the reach and power of China’s hidden hand.

Understanding the attack on Australia’s parliament and political parties

The Australian government has been reluctant to ‘name and shame’ states engaged in hostile cyber operations, but should this change now the latest assault has targeted the home of democracy – Parliament House – and the nation’s political parties only months out from a federal election?

Ethical limits fracture as Chinese espionage intensifies

China’s espionage capability is now so extensive it’s hard to imagine its limits and Western companies and governments are becoming more willing participants.